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Friday, October 30, 2009

Choosing the right animal hospital for your pet is very important for their health as well as your peace of mind. This article will cover some of the things you should look for in an animal hospital if you're looking for a veterinary care provider for your pet. Knowing how to compare animal hospitals can help you to make a good decision about where you should bring your pet when they're in need of medical care.

The first step is to ask family, friends and colleagues where they take their pets for veterinary care. It can be a challenge to find the right animal hospital for your pet; if you live in a rural area, there may not be a lot of choices. In a large city, you may have dozens of different animal hospitals to choose from. In both cases, this can make it difficult to decide on the right hospital. The opinions of other pet owners who have had their pet cared for at a particular animal hospital are the best source of information about the level of care given. Both positive and negative views are good to know; after all, you don't want your companion animal being given anything but the best possible care.

Secondly, here are a few basic guidelines if you need to choose a good animal hospital. Ask to see the veterinarian's license and start by asking if there is a registered veterinary technician on staff at the animal hospital. Doing this means that you have qualified staff working there, for example, a registered veterinary technician has passed the regulated state tests for all vets: education is essential because a registered technician will have the experience and skills that are prerequisites for required proper pet treatment and examinations. Please note: you should only allow a registered per technician to treat you pet and administer shots and pills (almost all animal hospitals will have non-registered employees working for them).

You should meet with the veterinarian before making your decision as well. Ask about their experience as a veterinarian, including how long they've been providing health care to animals. It's your decision how many years of experience you want your vet to have, but in general the longer they've been practicing, the more confident you can feel about having them care for your pet.

One thing to take note of is if the vet's license is a permanent license; a temporary license indicates that you're talking to an intern rather than a fully licensed vet. You probably don't want to have someone who's not even finished with their education taking care of your pet. Ask the veterinarian what the vet techs on staff at the hospital do in the course of their work, for example what their duties and responsibilities are there.

You should always ask when visiting an animal hospital what veterinary services are offered at the hospital. For example, do they offer urgent care - and if so, what hours are these services offered? Does the hospital perform surgeries and other more complex health care services? Does the hospital offer services like training for puppies and dogs? Does the hospital provide dietary and nutritional services? How about geriatric pet care?

Check if the hospital has a website and if so, what information about the hospital and its staff is provided there. Remember that just calling an establishment an animal hospital says nothing about the quality of care they provide there. If you may need emergency veterinary care, you'll want to be sure that the animal hospital's care and services are of the highest quality. If your family, friends or co-workers don't have any recommendations for you, you can find a good animal hospital by touring different ones and asking plenty of questions.

You should always tour any animal hospital you're thinking of taking your pets to when you go there to interview the veterinarian. Pay especially close attention to the cleanliness of examination rooms and surgical areas. These should be as clean and sterile as at any hospital for humans; check for debris on the floor or dirt under tables. A good animal hospital will also seem well organized and free of unpleasant odors beyond the smell you'd expect in a building which sees visits from a lot of animals. Any out of the ordinary smells can be a sign that the sanitation in the animal hospital is not up to par and that you may want to keep looking for somewhere to provide your pet with veterinary care.

These guidelines can help you to make a better decision when choosing an animal hospital for your pet's care. Get a referral if possible, listen to the opinions of others who have taken their pets there, make sure they are properly licensed, find out the roles of the staff within the hospital and speak to the veterinarian while touring the hospital. This should give you the information you need to decide on the best animal hospital in your area to care for your pets health.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Neutering or spaying processes are generally applied as part of administering total ferret care. Spaying female ferrets does prevent illnesses caused by excessive heat. On the other hand, neutering male ferrets does prevent the so called unwanted ferret smell.

Ferrets do become sensitive if subjected to adverse conditions such as heat. Many owners opt to have their ferrets either spayed or neutered before bringing them into their place. Shelters also advise these processes as essentials of ferret care. For these individuals, neutering or spaying ferrets prevent these pets from being ill or getting sick.

There are occasions wherein adopted or bought ferrets are not necessarily spayed or neutered. Most common causes include buying domestic ferrets directly from breeders. Additional cost is also prevented since some pet shops do sell intact ferrets. On the other hand, first-time owners tend to ask, "What are the benefits of neutering or spaying your ferret?" Below are stated reasons and guidelines.

1. When female ferrets or jills reach the age of four months, the so called 'heat cycle' so begins. This cycle will continuously go on unless she undergoes protection. This process is aptly called a Jill jab. As a component of female ferret care, Jill Jabs are given to create an interruption in the heat cycle, thus allowing hormones to work.

There are instances wherein owners substitute Jill Jabs in place of spaying. However, it is strongly suggested not to do so since spaying has long-term benefits. Furthermore, a Jill Jab is also given to prepare a female ferret for spaying.

2. Neutering processes, meanwhile, are part of male ferret care. Neutering is also recognized to affect male ferrets' behavior such as nipping and biting.

3. Ferret odor is also prevented if male ferrets are neutered. While the procedure may not totally get rid of ferret odor, it will somehow help in lessening such smell.

4. Neutering or castration should also be performed once your male ferret reaches the age of four months. It is also strongly suggested to avail of the procedure before your pet reaches four months.

Neutering or spaying your ferrets does affect the sexual nature of your pets. For some, these ferret care procedures aid them in lessening problems and other ferret diseases. While these ideas may be true, the fact remains that total ferret care does not only involve medicines and food. For in the long run, you have to consider your pet's well-being and overall condition.

Want More? Get Your FREE Secrets to Having a Healthy, Happy, Well-Behaved and Long Lived Ferret Mini eCourse:

As your collection of animals has grown you have undoubtedly thought about breeding your own feeder insects. If you have been buying superworms week after week and are wondering how to breed them yourself you have come to the right place.

Constantly running to the local shop or ordering your feeders online becomes quite a chore after a short while. Breeding superworms yourself is not only cost effective but a lot of fun.

The first step in breeding superworms successfully is learning how to raise them. Healthier larvae will pupate with less problems and thus in turn become healthier and livelier beetles.

Once you can sustain a colony of healthy larvae then it is time to try your hand at getting them to breed.

There are a few things that cause confusion for most people when trying to breed their superworms.

The very first thing to note about breeding superworms is that they will not pupate and then turn into beetles if kept together as one usually does with mealworms. Unlike mealworms who will complete their life cycles and breed together all in the same container, superworms like to be left alone when it comes to becoming a pupa. When your larvae is grown you are going to have to separate each one into its own little enclosure.

A common method of doing so is to use film canisters to temporarily house each worm. Tackle boxes or screw boxes work equally well. Separate each superworm into its own little home. Once separated the larvae will eventually stop all activity, curl into a c-shape, slowly turn into a pupa, and then transform into a beetle all in the same small enclosure. This process will take a couple weeks, but it is quite fun to watch.

Once your larvae have completed their transformations you are going to have a lot of hungry and thirsty beetles on your hands. Take all of your new beetles and place them together into a container such as a Rubbermaid container with a secure lid. Additionally, line your Rubbermaid container with a substrate of wood shavings. Your beetles will need a source of water and food. Potatoes or apples work very well for hydration, and moistened dry dog food works well for a food source. The added protein in the dog food will help with egg laying.

Keep your beetles at a temperature of around 80 degrees. Maintain their enclosure's humidity with regular misting. Do not overlook giving your beetles a place to lay their eggs. This simple mistake can cause you to scratch your head months from now wondering why you never managed to get your superworm beetles to breed. A piece of cork bark laid across the substrate works nicely. Without this your beetles may lay their eggs in the substrate which can be eaten by other beetles.

In a few weeks you should be seeing very tiny wiggling worms at the bottom of your substrate.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Fleas and ticks have much less chance of success than ever before thanks to advances in treatment and prevention of cat and dog infestations by fleas. There is now no longer a need to spread powder all over a distressed animal or its owner. Frontline Plus offers compelling reasons to leave the older ways and awkward means behind.

For a product like FP best price may not seem to compare until one looks at effectiveness and frequency of application factors.

The different varieties of the product that are targeted for either cats or dogs of varying sizes use Fipronil and (S)-methoprene. The people who make FP promise that every flea alive on an animal treated with their product will be eliminated in about half a day. Significantly, a female flea must inhabit a host for 24 hours before she can lay her eggs and commence a new reproductive cycle. The product doesn't nip flea infestations in the bud it nips them in the eggs.

FP kills all the ticks, if any, in about 48 hours. For thirty days thereafter your pet will be free of both fleas and ticks. Along with staying effective the product is waterproof. Keep a treated animal from getting wet until the application area appears dry, about 24 hours.

FP should be applied between the shoulder blades of a cat or a dog. It is powerful medication; follow the directions carefully. It spreads through a pet's fur and over its skin using translocation, a completely natural process.

In fact, the product behaves just like a pet's natural oils collecting in its oils glands, then spreading out gradually and getting "wicked" around the fur and skin.

It may not seem fair, but FP's availability and a FP best price are controlled carefully by veterinary professionals in many areas.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

In this article I'd like to share with you what cancer is and then discuss the different therapy options available, and then conclude with what your treatment goals should be.

Lets begin with a description of this insidious disease. Cancer is essentially cells going wild. It is the unrestrained growth of cells that destroy healthy tissues and body organs. There are many forms of cancer and each of them have different outcomes.

Your vet can choose to surgically remove the tumor or begin radiation therapy -- which are two common treatments, and expensive. Other therapy options include: chemotherapy, pain relief, complementary therapies including vitamins and nutritional supplements, homeopathics, biologicals, acupuncture, herbal remedies or a combination of therapies. Each case is different and there are stress factors (on both people and pets) as well as costs that often determine a course of action. The course of the disease is often unpredictable so essentially the goal of treatment is to:

Slow down the illness

Prolong life

Make your pet as comfortable and happy as possible

Conventional treatment options

1. Surgery - recommended only if there is a good chance of removing enough of the tumor to boost quality of life.

2. Radiation - can work for certain types of tumors. Not without risks and complications. Speak to your vet.

3. Chemotherapy - has a good success rate with lymphoma in dogs and cats, and with some other cancers. For many cancers, it has little or no benefit.

4. Appetite Stimulants - Weight loss is a huge issue. No food, no nutrition, and the immune system goes south faster than a duck in winter. There are a number of different medications on the market that help increase your pet's appetite. Use these medications at the first sign of decreased appetite rather than delaying until significant weight loss has occurred. It is much easier to maintain weight then it is to gain it back after it's been lost.

5. Pain Medication - as quality of life is the top priority, seek advice from your veterinarian and likely you will have to buy prescriptions.

6. Acupuncture - this holistic treatment is increasingly popular in cancer treatment. Acupuncture for pets is now recognized as a specialists degree from the American Holistic Veterinarian's Association. About 300 vets graduate each year with an advanced degree, but be that as it may, acupuncture does have a downside. It will stimulate the body's systems and may backfire and cause tumor growth.

Holistic pet treatments

1. Supplements - should be a part of everyday pet health and life-long therapy. Refined pet foods most often lack the vital nutrients required and the reason for this is that they are leached out during the manufacturing process -- much like our foods have been for decades and now look at the huge incidences of cancer in society! Okay back to supplements. One more thing, if your pet is difficult to pill or won't accept a supplement mixed with food, these many not be practical.

2. Digestive Enzymes - anything that will help your pet get the most out of its food is a requirement whilst your pet is suffering from cancer. Digestive enzymes breakdown carbs, fats, proteins and make the food and its nutrients more bio-available to the body. This is good. It is in fact, vital.

3. Pet Vitamins - he or she needs pet vitamins! Specifically pet vitamins A, C and E -- of which are all antioxidants and have a number of anti-cancer effects, including the inhibition of blood vessel growth in tumors, the promotion of healthy collagen, and free radical scavengers.

4. Herbal Remedies -- are potent antioxidants that also serve to stabilize cells, as well as detox the liver and boost the immune system. They have proven themselves to be effective as they have been in use by over 200 holistic veterinarians for over 10 years.

5. Omega-3 Fish Oils for Pets - are rich in EFA's (essential fatty acids) specifically EPA and DHA -- which have been shown clinically to reduce inflammation by promoting the production of natural anti-inflammatory substances in the body. They also help your pet with energy and can slow tumor growth.

6. Marijuana oil (a legal form) for pets -- is a good source of Omega-3s and has the additional advantage of improving appetite.

7. Essiac Formula -- this herbal remedy is an immune booster and an antioxidant.

8. Protein Rich Diet -- a good quality protein in the diet is tasty and the easiest for the body to process. High quality proteins include real meat, poultry and fish, and better quality canned food. Simple carbohydrates should be eliminated from the diet if possible -- or reduced. Simple carbohydrates include sugar, milk, fruit and kibble (dry pet food). Complex carbohydrates (starchy vegetables) should be reduced in quantity.

When is veterinary attention required?

Please contact your veterinarian if you notice any of the following:

decrease in appetite

weight loss

increase or decrease in drinking or in urinating

urinating or defecating in an inappropriate location

straining when passing stool or urine

stool that is dry or hard or constipation

vomiting

change in behavior (ie. withdrawing, becoming aggressive)

decrease in energy

a sore that does not heal

an unusual odor

Same day veterinary attention is required if you notice any of the following:

if your pet stops drinking and urinating

if your pet hasn't eaten for 24 hours

if your pet is extremely lethargic or is having difficulty walking

if your pet is in pain

if your pet vomits more than 3 times in a 24 hour period.

As mentioned earlier the primary goal of a pet with cancer is 'quality and dignity of life.' To be honest, quality of life is difficult to measure in animals, however some of the factors to consider are appetite, activity and energy levels, grooming habits and finally sociability around other animals. When your pet's quality of life is no longer adequate and treatment options have been exhausted, humane euthanasia is recommended.

William Greenbaum hails from Ferndale, WA and Vancouver, B.C. He is an outdoor guy, avid sportsman, triathlete, cyclist, dog lover, poet, nature photographer and spiritualist. William's passions in life are kids, sports, the arts and business. He has been an entrepreneur all his life with three careers - reporter, theater producer and CEO. He is the Founder of All Pet Naturals -- an alternative natural medicine company specializing in the pet industry, and providing pet owners with the finest holistic line of herbal and homeopathic remedies on the market today.

Every responsible pet caretaker wants to take the best possible care of their companion. This includes preventative care including a proper vaccination schedule.

Once animals are given their core vaccines they are typically given a yearly booster. In the case of horses, a twice per year booster is usually recommended.

Have you ever wondered why people get vaccinated only as children for most diseases, yet animals need to be re-vaccinated every year, sometimes twice a year, for life?

For years now holistic veterinarians have voiced objections to yearly vaccines. However long practiced habits and routines are hard to break.

Recently there has been much scientific evidence showing that yearly vaccines could be hurting your pet more than helping it.

The practice of vaccinating pets began in the 1950s when rabies and distemper were all to common and very lethal. At that time, little was understood about the natural immune system of animals and vaccines were in their infant stages.

Today our understanding of the immune system has vastly improved. In addition, the potency of vaccines has increased immensely. For example, many vaccines are now available for dogs and cats which protect against six or seven viruses in a single shot.

To understand how vaccines affect your animal you must first consider how they work. Essentially vaccines deliver antigens, something that the body considers an invading organism, into your pets body. This stimulates the body's immune system which produces specific antibodies or protection against the foreign antigens.

Yearly boosters can easily over-stress your pet's immune system. Especially since today's vaccines introduce multiple antigens (protection for different diseases) all at the same time. If your pet's immune system is currently fighting some sort of problem like an ear infection or allergy it is all too easy to cause more problems than you are trying to prevent.

Evidence of over-stressed pet immune systems is increasing. Today dog allergies are the number one cause of veterinarian visits. An allergy is simply a misguided immune system. For example, if you dog is allergic to corn, it isn't the corn that's the problem. The problem is that your pet's immune system thinks corn is an antigen and is "properly" responding to the invader.

In the mid-1990s, cats began developing malignant tumors between their shoulder blades--right where they are typically vaccinated. The correlation is all too clear.

Current research shows that the immunity created from a vaccination shot lasts 3-4 years. So why are some veterinarians still recommending yearly boosters?

Vaccines are an important tool in disease prevention and keeping your pet healthy. However it is your responsibility and right to have a candid conversation with your veterinarian about creating a vaccination schedule that properly supports your pet's health.

Becky Kimes is a Divine Animal Healer and Pet Loss Grief Recovery Coach. If your pet is suffering from a poor immune system or plagued with allergies Becky can help. Visit her at http://divinehealingforanimals.com and schedule a complimentary 15 minute consultation to discover how she can help your pet return to optimal health.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

If you are planning a long ride or a move and you are taking your pet rabbit with you, there are several things you have to consider. Traveling by car with your pet rabbit may not be as easy as you think if you never made him travel before. There are at least 3 facts you must know about before you made that decision.

Traveling can stressed out your rabbit Most rabbit will not enjoy long rides because of all the stress that being in a car will be giving them. If you absolutely have to take your rabbit on a long trip, you need a good size pet carrier to put him in. Put a towel on the bottom and bring plenty more to change them later along with food, hay and a bottle of water. Also take plenty of fresh vegetables and extra food for a long ride.

Rabbits are sensitive to overheating If you are planing on traveling in the summer months, remember to never leave the rabbit in the car while you stop, even if it is only for a quick one. Rabbits can overheat very easily and in just for a few minutes, they can suffocate and die. If your car does not have air conditioned, prepare in advance some frozen bottles of water that you put in the carrier wrapped in small towels so the rabbit can lean against them to cool off.

Take time to get him out to exercise If you will be traveling for several days in a row, get your rabbit out every night and take him in the motel room with you. Lay a large towel on the bathroom floor and install his litter box, food and water. Put the pet carrier on the doorway with the open door facing the bathroom and let him out so you can go for dinner without worrying about him destroying anything.

Remember that if your pet is not used to it, traveling by car with your pet rabbit could be risky. Some bunnies can get really stressed out and stop eating for over 24 hours, witch could be dangerous for their lives. Unless you have no other choice, if you are moving for example, it would be safer for your little friend to find him a keeper while you are going away.

I hope you found this information helpful about traveling by car with your pet rabbit. Do you know what kind of toys rabbits enjoy the most? Feel free to visit my blog at http: http://www.petrabbitcare.blogspot.com for a lot more free tips and videos and enjoy learning about your pet rabbit!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Did you recently discover you were allergic to a pet? Perhaps you were told that pet dander was the culprit behind your allergies. What is pet dander? Is it an unnatural condition, a disease, a sign that something is wrong? Why does it affect you so? More importantly, is there anything you can do about it?

What is Pet Dander?

First of all, pet dander is completely natural and normal for your pet. It is nothing more than the dead skin cells that slough off from day to day. In fact, every living thing with skin, including you, renews skin cells and loses old ones continuously.

So there is nothing to fear. Neither is there anything you can do to stop it.

But how can you alleviate the problem caused by it, your allergies.

What Can You Do About Pet Dander?

Misinformation abounds. Some articles on the web would have you believe that choosing a short haired pet over a long haired one makes a difference. Hair length does not matter. It is the dead skin cells that concern us.

Allergy relief will depend upon your minimizing this residue. How? Here are the key ways:

Wash your pet regularly, at least every two weeks

Remove carpeting that can trap pet dander

Keep your pet out of the bedroom, you should have your own "safe room"

Improve ventilation through open windows if at all possible

Some people also find success regularly vacuuming surfaces with a HEPA vacuum cleaner. Keep in mind though that many vacuum cleaners that feature a HEPA filter do not pass 100% of the air through the filter but allow it to bypass. This simply aerosolizes the allergen just as a non-HEPA vacuum cleaner would and may only make matters worse.

Reducing airborne pet dander by means of an air purifier is another tactic. It may especially be of help in the bedroom, providing clean air that helps you get a good nights rest. Adequate sleep is one of the factors in your allergic response.

In choosing an air purifier for allergy relief go with one that features a true HEPA filter and total system efficiency very close to the HEPA standard.

Two excellent resources featuring both the high quality vacuum cleaners mentioned above as well as effective allergy relief air purifiers are achoo!Allergy.com and AllergyBuyersClub.com.

Friday, October 16, 2009

There are amazing sales for Zhu Zhu pet hamsters and they are getting harderto find. The high street is now not really the best place to go to try tofind them. The problem is that so many of the stores are only being givenlimited stock and it is flying off the shelves.

This is especially true for the Zhu Zhu pets funhouse. This is the numberone addition to all the many hamsters that can be bought. The funhouse givesthem their own home to live in and there are extra rooms that can be added.This is a complete environment for them to run around in and the fact thatthere are extras such as slides and even a garage means that this is thefirst step to creating a massive hamster environment.

When placed inside the Zhu pets are intelligent enough to move from room toroom and they even make different noises depending on the room they are in.This makes them great fun for the kids and they can interact with their petsa little more like they would with real hamsters. The Zhu Zhu funhouse withPatches is one of the few ways to get this rare hamster as he is not soldseparately like the others.

If you want patches the hamster then this is one of the few ways to get himand you also get the massive funhouse for him to interact with. The househas a bedroom and a kitchen and even a bathroom so it is a great start tobuilding a massive environment for them to play in.

Monday, October 12, 2009

If you love animals and want to help them you should consider being an animal foster parent. You can volunteer to take animals into your home and take care of them until the rescue can find a "permanent home" for the animal. Most rescues prefer to put dogs in homes where you have a fenced yard, a safe home with ample room for the dogs. If you have children they will consider your children's ages as well. Many small breed dogs aren't always good with small children in the home under 12 years of age.

You will need lots of love, patience, understanding and time for the cats or dogs placed into your home. The animal will probably have some bad traits that you may need to work on as they have may have accidents in the house that you will need to correct or house train them. Also the dogs may have other issues that they will need some training with to make them better pets to potential owners. Whatever basic skills and training you can give the animal will help them become more appealing for their prospective families.

The animal rescue will want to have reports on how the animal is with you, your children and cats, dogs that they get along with. If you don't have any other pets you can take your dog or cat to visit family or friends to see how well they get along with others, their children or pets. You need to see how well the animal interacts with others. If you drive the dog to the park you can record how well the dog travels in the car and how well they interact with other dogs at the park. This helps the animal rescue give new prospective owners information about their future pet so it makes it easier to place the animal in a new home.

Foster parents will also be responsible to take their animal to the vet for vaccinations, spading/neutering, dental care or any other needs of the animal. Most rescue groups pay for these costs so make sure they do before you proceed to do any work on the animals.

Fostering animals is hard work and you can become attached to the animals that you care for but you are helping many animals find good homes instead of being euthanized. It will also bring you great satisfaction that you helped one more animal to find a good quality home and then you can go on to help another.

You will need lots of love, patience, understanding and time for the cats or dogs placed into your home. The animal will probably have some bad traits that you may need to work on as they have may have accidents in the house that you will need to correct or house train them. Also the dogs may have other issues that they will need some training with to make them better pets to potential owners. Whatever basic skills and training you can give the animal will help them become more appealing for their prospective families.

The animal rescue will want to have reports on how the animal is with you, your children and cats, dogs that they get along with. If you don't have any other pets you can take your dog or cat to visit family or friends to see how well they get along with others, their children or pets. You need to see how well the animal interacts with others. If you drive the dog to the park you can record how well the dog travels in the car and how well they interact with other dogs at the park. This helps the animal rescue give new prospective owners information about their future pet so it makes it easier to place the animal in a new home.

Foster parents will also be responsible to take their animal to the vet for vaccinations, spading/neutering, dental care or any other needs of the animal. Most rescue groups pay for these costs so make sure they do before you proceed to do any work on the animals.

Fostering animals is hard work and you can become attached to the animals that you care for but you are helping many animals find good homes instead of being euthanized. It will also bring you great satisfaction that you helped one more animal to find a good quality home and then you can go on to help another.

Jeannette McQueen-Nobbs or Queenie1 has written some articles and was published. She has also written an eBook.

Friday, October 9, 2009

There are around thirteen different breeds of Cavy. Some are long haired, some are short, and one of the first to consider with Cavy care, is the necessity for washing.

The long haired breeds of Cavy are going to need more attention in this area, than the short haired breeds. For a shampoo you may use a specially formulated kitten shampoo, freely available from quality pet stores, and naturally your vet. Use this kind of shampoo to avoid any probability of drying out their skin.

When you have bathed your Cavy, confirm she or he is completely dried before returning to the hutch. Cavy care also needs regular clipping of the toenails.

Like their teeth, the toenails are always growing so you must keep a watch on the length and trim when mandatory. Don't clip the nail too short, and the most impressive results can be done by trying the standard nail clipping tool, ensuring not to chop into the fast (the living part of the nail). If you do happen to cut into this area, you can stop the bleeding employing a styptic pencil.

Brushing your guinea pig is another task that you are going to need to do. The ultimate brush to use for this is the standard metal greyhound brush, which penetrates simply to the base of most fur coats. Daily brushing always helps to remove any loose hair, which lessens losing.

Regarding medical and or consultant care as your Cavy grows, search out a vet who focuses on exotic animals. This way you make sure that any cavy care you want, that's outside your own level of expertise, is being handled by someone with the right information about your pet.

The vet can check for bugs, show you the most effective way to do stuff like nail trimming and grooming, and it's a good spot to ask any questions you could have. If you're paying for a wellness check, employ the expense and time productively by asking the vet anything you want or need to understand about providing great cavy care.

There are a couple of things that you should generally be looking for. If your cavy shows any appearances of any of these, you should see your vet as fast as possible. Difficulty breathing, refusal to drink or eat, listlessness, puffing and sneezing, crusty eyes, rough coat, hunched posture, blood in urine, limping, baldness, and/or scratching, and any other unnatural behaviour that might be a concern to you.

Acting quickly can be the difference between your cavy being diagnosed and cured, and the choice, and no-one wants to consider the alternative! Ensure that when and if your cavy does need veterinary assistance for any bacterial sort of infections, the vet doesn't prescribe or use Penicillin based medicine. If you're undecided about a particular drug or drugs, raise questions, and expect a reason BEFORE permitting it to be given to your pet.

Joshua Cuccia is a guinea pig expert. Do You Want To Quickly and Easily Have the Perfect Guinea Pigs: Healthy, Happy, and Thriving For Years to Come? Discover more information about Cavy Care, visit http://www.guineapigcarerevealed.com.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

As you may have noticed, Guinea pigs have hair, not fur like most other animals. There are three types of hair a guinea may have; long, fuzzy(frizzy), or curly. Lets talk about...

Hair Types

Smooth-Coated

Smooth-haired guinea pigs have, at the risk of repeating myself, smooth coats. The coat lays in the direction from the head down to the tail. The guinea's coat is made of two different layers of hair. The first layer, called the guard hair, forms the top of the coat and is strong, and coarse to the touch. The second layer is composed of much shorter and softer hairs that lay underneath the guard hair. When the guard hair is properly groomed the second layer is much more shiny and soft than the guard layer. Smooth-coated gcavvies come in a variety of colors that can range from a solid color to various multi-color patterns. Some even come in a pattern that has the hair one color from the base of the root and then another at the very tip!

Long-Haired

The hair of a long-haired guinea pig grows at the rate of about an inch per month. Because of this, much trimming is required in order to keep your guinea's hair manageable and clean, if your guinea's hair gets matted, be very very careful when trimming or cutting it. It is hard to tell what part is the piggy's body and what is the hair, you do not want to cut your piggy. There are six different breeds of long haired guinea pigs. Three of these breeds have smooth hair, which all lay in different ways. The other three are simply variations of the first three, including one breed that has long curly hair.

Rosetted Coats

The breeds associated with this particular type of coat are talked about in the breeds article. Rosetted coats come in three particular styles. There is one where the coat is smooth despite the one rosette on the guinea's forehead. There is another whose whole coat is composed of various ridges and rosettes. These rosettes are in an order along the piggy's sides and rear end. The ridges lay in between the rosettes. The third of these types have a thick, frizzy undercoat with long guard hairs. This coat lays in the direction from the rear end to the head, and sticks out, giving the guinea pig a larger-than-normal appearance.